EO for HR

Conditions for enrolment and application

For the academic year 2023/2024 the theme of the Thesis Lab is the use of Satellite Data for Humanitarian Rights

The conditions for enrolment of the LDE Space thesis lab 23/24 'use of Satellite Data for Humanitarian rights' are:

  • Students from Leiden University, Delft University of Technology and Erasmus University Rotterdam are eligible for the Thesis Lab. Note:  students from Erasmus University Rotterdam join via the International Consultancy Projects course.
  • The lab is open to students in the following areas of expertise: Air and Space Law, Humanitarian Law, European Law, Earth Observation technologies, Applied Earth sciences and related studies. We however also welcome others provided they can make a meaningful contribution to the overall challenge.
  • You will work on your master thesis within the timeframe February to June 2024, with the possibility of starting your individual thesis somewhat earlier or later, if your study programme requires it.
  • Preferably you start your thesis (preparation) somewhere between December 2023 and April 2024. 
  • Your thesis accounts for 10 to 60 EC, depending on your programme’s requirements. 
  • Your project is supervised by one of the Thesis Lab team members (see thesis challenge description) or you may find your own thesis supervisor(s) at your university. Supervision of your individual master thesis is not part of the LDE Space thesis lab programme.
  • You are motivated to join the half year – extracurricular – interdisciplinary program and will attend the bi-weekly in-person sessions.
  • You agree with the workload of the program: approximately 60 hours in total
  • At the end of the programme in June 2024, you will present data, results and/or conclusions from your thesis. You agree to prepare and share with us the following deliverables:
    1. Individual thesis report (no later than November 2024), note that the content of the thesis report will be according to your study department and agreed and reviewed with your supervisor;
    2. Interdisciplinary result (you will create this with your lab team during session #9 and #10 of the program);
    3. Two newsletters for the case holder(s) and other stakeholders (you will make these newsletters with your Lab team as homework);
    4. Present at, and contribute to the organisation of, the use of Satellite Data for Humanitarian Rights Symposium  that will take place between June and September 2024

The selection procedure for the úse of Satellite Data for Humanitarian Rights thesis lab  is as follows:

  • Interested? Submit a Motivation Letter by December 17th to the Thesis Lab coordinators (Peter Batenburg P.A.W.Batenburg@tudelft.nl & Wim Ploeg spaceforhr@gmail.com) with the following information:
    1. Name
    2. University and Field of Study
    3. Email address
    4. Motivation (max 400 words) to join the Thesis Lab
    5. 1 to 3 Proposals for your Master Thesis research question
    6. Proposed supervisor (either from the Thesis Lab team or other)
  • Following the reception of your application, your proposal will be reviewed by the Thesis Lab team
  • We will contact you for a follow up discussion with the Thesis Lab coordinators and Master thesis supervisor.
  • In this follow up discussion, we will discuss:
    1. Your motivation: why do you want to join the Lab? Are you ready to commit to the lab program and to the extra work it requires? Will you be an active member of the interdisciplinary lab group?
    2. The assignment you are applying for: does the assignment you are applying for fit your curriculum? Do you already have ideas of what you would like to research in your thesis.  
  • We will let you know if you are selected by mid january.
  • If you are selected, we will ask you to confirm your thesis supervisor
  • By the end of January 2024, we will organise a short online meeting with all selected Thesis Lab students, to get to know each other and ask questions. The Lab Program will start in February 2024.